Relaxed revision: Treatment, symptoms, advice and help

You just did not perform as well as you could have done even though you
had put the work in?

Do you really feel that you get the most out of your revision time?

If any of these statements ring true to you then read on……..

For many people the examination period is one of the most stressful times in
their academic careers. The idea of relaxed revision might, for most, appear
to be a mutually exclusive concept.

However, there follows a few simple strategies to reduce the associated stress,
and help you to maximise your knowledge and revision time. Who knows at the
end you might actually enjoy the whole exam experience!

Start as you mean to go on!

Before you start revising think about your working pattern, and really get
to know your strengths and weaknesses:

How do you work best?

When do you work best, are you a morning or afternoon person?

Do you need many breaks?

What sort of environment do you prefer?

How do you look after yourself whilst revising, do you build in treats and
relaxation times?

Do you have a good support network whilst revising such as friends or family
or tutors?

What do you personally find most stressful about revising?

What do you find most relaxing and rewarding about the revision period?

Do you have realistic expectations of yourself and your goals?

The answers to the above may change over time, and remember there is no right
or wrong response. The questions are merely a way for you to learn more about
yourself in a certain situation.

On your marks, get set, GO!

Physical preparation

As with athletes before they run a race, they warm up and stretch. Before you
start revising it is important that you mentally clear you head, and relax you
mind and body with simple portable exercises.

Breathing

It seems obvious, but as you breathe in and out on average 25,000 times per
day it is important that you get it right. In times of stress or increased tension,
most people have a tendency to hold their breath or breathe in a tense fashion.
This can in turn leads to neck and shoulder tension, reduced concentration skills,
and reduced energy levels to name but a few symptoms! Hardly an ideal scenario
for the revising mind.

Test your breathing now as you are sitting down.

Breathe in - Do you lift your shoulders and pull your tummy in? If you
do, try it the opposite way around. Relax you tummy and aim to keep your upper
chest and shoulders still. This will feel strange at first but should feel like
a deeper breath.

Next place your hands in-between your ribs at the front, and say ha!ha! Do
you feel that movement? That is your diaphragm area or "chuckle muscle", nicknamed
thus as when you laugh it gets a jolly good workout!

Very simply, when you breathe in your lungs fill with air, and your ribs swing
laterally to make room for the expanding lungs. Your diaphragm muscle, a large
dome shaped muscle is attached to the base of your ribs and as you inhale it
flattens to form a drum skin like base for you breathing.

When you breathe in you should aim to fill the base you your lungs as this
is where the richest supply of blood is. Please note that there is no mention
of pulling your tummy in or lifting your shoulders!

Now think of your breathing in three stages, inhalation, exhalation and the
pause in-between. Try to make all the segments of equal length, and from your
centre, not your upper chest and shoulders.

One simple way to check your breathing tech

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